2011 Subaru Forester Engine Problems

NHTSA component category: ENGINE · data through 07/14/2026

60Engine complaints

40.8%Of all 147 complaints

#1Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How engine ranks on this vehicle

ENGINE60 · 40.8%

AIR BAGS29 · 19.7%

SERVICE BRAKES17 · 11.6%

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL13 · 8.8%

Unspecified / other12 · 8.2%

Share of the 147 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2011 Subaru Forester overview page.

What owners report

“LEAKY CYLINDER HEAD GASKETS MADE OIL LEAK INTO COOLING SYSTEM. CAR BEGAN RATTLING AND ENGINE WARNING LIGHTS ALL CAME ON. SUBARU KNOWS THIS IS AN…”NHTSA complaint 11413096 — filed 04/20/2021

“WHILE BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY THE INTAKE VALVE SPRING BROKE AND DROPPED THE VALVE INTO THE CYLINDER CAUSING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO REPAIR”NHTSA complaint 11355245 — filed 09/15/2020

“WHEN MY HEAD LIGHTS GOT TURNED ON NONE OF MY TAILLIGHTS OR MY DASH LIGHTS CAME IN 1200 DOLLAR REPAIR. ALSO MY HEAD GASKET WENT…”NHTSA complaint 11323891 — filed 05/08/2020

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Engine complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2011 Subaru Forester have engine problems?

Engine is the most-reported problem area on the 2011 Subaru Forester: 60 of 147 complaints on file (40.8%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2011 Subaru Forester have in total?

147 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 21 involved a crash, 6 involved a fire, 4 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's engine category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the ENGINE category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/14/2026.